As the temperatures begin to drop it is time to put away the swimfeeders and get on the straight lead to start picking off those moody carp and F1s!
Here's five tips to help you catch more on the bomb this winter...
Fish a light as you can!
If the weather is calm, use the smallest bomb possible. This way, you can sneak it in around your swim without spooking the fish. A 10-gram cube-shaped lead will work well and cast farther than a traditional pear shaped lead. Only use a heavier bomb if the wind is strong. Stepping up to a 20g lead will give you more control and accuracy when casting.
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Ten-minute casts
Although you can leave the bomb out for a long time, chances are that if a fish is in the area, you should see a sign within 10 minutes of casting. After that, if nothing has happened, wind in and cast again, either to the same spot or elsewhere in the swim. Almost like dobbing, you are searching out the fish.
Looking for liners will tell you if there are some fish nearby, and that you can hold off winding in for just a few more minutes to see if that sign develops into a bite!
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Tighten up the tip
Once you’ve cast out, slowly tighten up the quivertip to put a nice bend in it. Make sure there is ample resistance to hold the bread at the required level off-bottom, if that’s what you’re using on the hook.
This is because bites on bread are a bit different. They don’t always rip the rod off the rest – instead, the fish often shake their heads, which shows up as big tugs on the tip, before it then drops back. It’s no good just picking up the rod in this instance a solid strike is required.
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Why it has to be bread
Corn, hard pellets and meat are all super baits for using on the bomb, but there’s one that’s synonymous with the method and one you’ll read about a lot more in the coming months – bread.
Being highly visible and soft once it has taken on water, it’s something that carp and F1s just can’t resist. Two or three 8mm punched pieces are ideal, and it’s best to use a punch kit because you don’t want to compress the discs, because that will stop them from being suspended off the bottom when fished on a 10ins-long hooklength.
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Trickle in some corn
Although the general idea of the bomb is not to feed anything, it is worth having a part of the swim that’s loosefed with a little bait. It is unlikely that the fish are going to feed aggressively in the cooling water, so don’t overdo it – just drip in small amounts of bait regularly. Visibility of the bait is key, which is why corn is a good option.
Fire out four or five pieces every five to 10 minutes, but try not to spread it about too much – pick an area that you can feed comfortably and accurately with a catapult.
WANT MORE TIPS? CHECK OUT THESE EXPERT TIPS FROM STEVE RINGER.
